Dragons & Dinosaurs 3
by Kisuru-chan
Summary: Kero wants to play a brand new video game released that morning! Sakura indulges him.


**A/N:** Written as a Fandom Stocking 2016 gift for dinogrrl. 

* * *

The sea of people around them chatted endlessly and excitedly. The energy from so many people was lifting, and everyone chatted about rumors that would be debunked as soon as they had the game unwrapped in the warmth of their own homes.

Sakura shivered further inside her coat. She tried to stand on her tiptoes to see the front of the line; she leapt to see above the man's head in front of her to no avail. All she knew was, the line stretched around the game shop's parking lot in an uneven twist.

"Remind me why I'm out here this early," Sakura mumbled darkly, deadpan. She sneezed viciously, wrapping her scarf closer around her face. Snow tickled her eyelashes as it fell from the clouds.

"Because _Dragons & Dinosaurs 3_ is going to be released today!" Kero chirped. He shifted in her bag and fluttered his wings. "It's an awesome game, and you have to share this moment with me. _Please_?"

When Kero wanted to beg, he knew how to push Sakura's buttons. Not always in the right way. But she couldn't channel ill-will into her usual Kero-is-in-so-much trouble scary face so early in the morning.

Sakura supposed this was true to an extent. Games were important to Kero as much as snacks. But did she have to do this when it was so cold outside, and on a Sunday morning with a special promotion?

Shivering again, she clutched her gloved hands together. Playing the game would be fun. Kero said it would be since he was a big fan of it, anyway. She had never gotten around to playing them with her schoolwork and capturing cards eating up her time.

Kero started to nudge his way out of his bag. He glanced around. A little girl behind them squeaked in surprise, staring wide-eyed at his big yellow head.

"Kero-chan, you can't do that!" Sakura scolded, whispering so the little girl didn't suspect him. She stuffed his fluffy head back into her bag and sighed. She shouldn't freak out. Only the little girl had seen, but… so many people crawling around the game shop would spell out more trouble than her brother seeing Kero. And that was saying something.

"But Sakura, I want to see the poster," Kero whined, voice muffled through the bag's fabric. He poked his head out regardless and sought out his prize.

A large poster in the window blocked out the game shop's interior. A big-horned, black dragon spouting fought against a green T-Rex with its teeth bared. Scrawled in fiery letters, the name of the game stood out against a bleak landscape in the background.

Kero hugged himself, totally in dreamland.

"Okay, you saw it," Sakura said. She examined it and couldn't help but think the artwork looked impressive. "It does look pretty cool,"

"Right, right?" Kero asked.

People suddenly stampeded forward and swarmed the entrance in droves. Sakura was pushed to the side on accident with every new wave of feet, and she caught herself on a pole before losing balance.

The game shop had opened for business!

It was amazing a game about dragons and dinosaurs riveted so many fans, but Sakura couldn't help but feel like the crowd's eagerness mixed with Kero's infectious enthusiasm lifted her sleepiness even more now that the rush was real.

"Finally!" Kero bellowed. He rolled around in excitement. "Let's, go, _let's go_! Our extras await us!"

Oh, right. Marketing swag. Sakura squared her shoulders and pumped her fists; she pushed her way through the throng of people and batted her way into the store (politely, of course). Once she found her own little niche in the corner, Sakura caught her breath and looked around.

"Hey, hey! Can we get that?" Kero asked, pointing to a giant, Giraffatitan dinosaur plush on display.

Sakura followed his line of sight and noticed the plush. Her jaw dropped at the hefty price tag.

"I don't have that much!" She felt her pocket for confirmation that the meager amount of money she had would not add up to that insane amount. She was right on all counts. But she still reached out to touch it on impulse. Scaly yet smooth around the long neck, the fabric still managed to be soft under her fingertips. "It's lifelike, isn't it? I like the fabric…"

Kero nodded proudly, but shrugged amiably. "Ah, well, I can't force ya to get it. The real treat is the game, the game! Let's grab it and scram!"

Once the game was bought, Sakura realized that the game extras were actually pretty cute too. A poster similar to the one in the window, a limited edition booklet showcasing the different kinds of dinosaurs and dragons, and a random blue dragon rubber stamp all came with the game. Sakura found the blue dragon's fierce look cute nonetheless.

It wasn't until later when Sakura was at home staring at the box cover did the questions start coming.

"I know it's about dragons and dinosaurs, but… Kero-chan, what is this game about again?" Sakura asked. Such a basic thought about the plot or the reasons behind it hadn't come to her earlier, especially with Kero announcing that she needed to wake up so early without any warning.

Normally Sakura would have been mad, or too groggy to push herself out of bed, but she would have hated herself later for disappointing Kero when he was so happy about something so simple.

Kero flew closer. "What a beauty!" He whistled at the glossy cover before landing next to Sakura's TV. "It has all kinds of cool mechanics! You can go in combat mode and fight each other, or you can play the story mode. The dragons are trying to take over the world from the dinosaurs and the dinosaurs are trying to fight back against them." He picked up the remote. "And tons of cool characters to pick from."

Sakura once again marveled at how dragons and dinosaurs didn't mesh too well. But she might be nitpicking—weren't dinosaurs and dragons kind of the same thing, scales and fierceness and all?

She could be wrong. Dinosaurs came before dragons, so it made sense they'd want revenge.

"Let's play, c'mon!" Kero urged, swinging his controller. "I can't wait to sink my teeth into this."

"Oh, um…" Sakura glanced at the mountain of homework on her desk. She glowered. Later, Touya would make his rounds up to her room and ask her if she was nearly done with her homework before dinner. Playing a game or doing assignments—the choice was nonnegotiable. "Okay, let's play!"

Sakura cracked the game open and loaded it in. She leafed through the limited edition book as the title screen loaded. So many high quality pictures caught her eye—so many shapes, colors, and descriptions.

Maybe this game really was difficult…

"I think… we should start with the fighting mode," Sakura suggested meekly, feeling out of place.

But Kero didn't think anything of it. He just hollered. "Time for selection mode. I can't wait to see what else they added to the characters list."

Sakura's eyes bulged at the options menu. She spotted many of the same dinosaurs and dragons straight out of the booklet, but the actual images on screen looked more realistic, if that were possible.

"I don't know what to pick…" Sakura said nervously. She flipped through all the options, head spinning.

"Anything at all," Kero said. "Ohh, this! They upgraded the appearances!" He only took one minute seeking out a terrifying Spinosaurus ready for battle; its attack and defense were off the charts.

So he was going for the big guns…

She wasn't sure if asking Kero for recommendations would be the best choice, because he'd probably tell her the worst choice just so he could beat her the first time for bragging rights. He could be super sneaky sometimes, but he always expected Sakura would stand up stronger and learn from her mistakes easily. So he never really did that in bad faith.

He was just a competitive brat.

Well, if he picked a dinosaur, she'd pick a dragon.

"How about…" Sakura scrolled until a pink Great Serpent Dragon filled up one of the squares, and she instantly fell in love with its design. It looked ancient and agile—a combination of wisdom in comparison to Kero's Spinosaurus tank. "This?"

"Good, good," Kero said, approving immediately. "I don't remember that in the last games. Sakura'd make a good choice, but ya won't beat me."

Sakura felt a little more confident about this, at least.

After loading, a landscape of snowdrifts and castles with tall towers filled in the background. Snowflakes glittered across the screen like little rainbow crystals flying, and Sakura found herself mesmerized with the clear animation. Sakura couldn't help but feel like she would like to wander in such a snowy, thrilling place over the familiar and dreary streets in Tomoeda. That would be a real adventure.

In fact, Sakura was so bound up in her fantasy she barely registered she had lost the round until Kero's screeching woke her up out of her daydreams.

"I win, I win!" Kero yelled. He pumped his fists.

She gasped, teeth gritting. How dare that little—

Sakura glanced down at her controller, her mouth twisting into a furious line of belief in herself. This time she would pick the dinosaur again. This time there would be no stargazing and she would show her true strength. "Let's go again, Kero-chan!"

"Aye aye!" Kero lifted his controller again, determination burning in his eyes.

As soon as the screen loaded this time, Sakura's Green Serpent Dragon charged. It dodged the Spinosaurus' gnarled hands and wide mouth. It slammed into its side and spewed green fire. The Spinosaurus leapt backward from the burn the fire inflicted and then tried to ram into the Great Serpent Dragon's side. Luckily, the Great Serpent Dragon's special ability (Super Spiral Dive) activated at the exact moment and it jolted away in a pinch. The dragon roared, and the dinosaur screened, ready to keep up the momentum for several attacks.

Even Kero was confused, but he smashed the controller buttons, intending to wreck damage.

Sakura lost this round, too, but she wouldn't give up.

The game continued round after round. Sakura smirked triumphantly ten minutes later when Kero flapped his wings in angrily and dropped his controller. He flopped backwards, defeated. Sakura threw her hands up in victory and cackled.

It was all about the technique, not the size or build.


End file.
